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April 21, 1981

Ministry of the Interior, Department of State Security, Military Unit 0195, No. 329/0058759

This document was made possible with support from Bilkent University

Ministry of the Interior

TOP SECRET

Department of State Security

Copy no. 1

 

To Military Unit 0620 – Bucharest

 

With respect to the situation of Palestinians in Iraq, we would like to inform you of the following issues:

 

There is a independent splinter group of Al Fatah in Iraq, lead by Abu Nidhal [sic], but under the complete control of the Iraqi authorities. The splinter group carries out terrorist operations, and is known for such operations in Western Europe, as well as for certain operations under the coordination of the Iraqi intelligence services, such as the assassination of some opponents to the current regime in Iraq, located in various Arab countries or in Europe (they primarily target members of the Iraqi Communist Party and the officers of the Armed Forces who fled Iraq [after Saddam’s coup]).

 

There is also the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF) led by Samir Goshe, an organization under the control of the Iraqi intelligence services. [The PLF] is a hard-line Palestinian group, formed of Baathist Palestinians. The PLF is for Iraq what the al-Sai’qa (The Lightning) is for Syria.

 

The PLF headquarters are officially located in Lebanon, but the majority of its members, including its commando forces are trained in Iraq.

 

The leaders of the PLF function as advisors to Iraqi intelligence officers. The PLF liaises with its members abroad through Iraqi officers who work under diplomatic cover in various embassies.

 

The PLF commando forces are in charge of the following tasks:

 

- military operations against Iranian embassies, representatives and officials, located in Arab countries, the assassination of the Iraqi opposition abroad;

- taking part through special operations (terrorist attacks on individuals, headquarters, blowing up certain buildings, assassinations) in the war against Iran.

 

We possess intelligence that the PLF commando forces recruit Palestinian students in various countries in Europe.

 

Signed by the Commander of the Military Unit

[illegible signature]

 

Report about Palestinian organizations in Iraq including the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF) and Al Fatah.


Document Information

Source

Consiliul Național pentru Studierea Arhivelor Securității (National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives), Folder D13891, Volume 43, Surveillance Target: OLGA [Palestine Liberation Organization], p. 95. Contributed and translated by Eliza Gheorghe.

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2020-03-27

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